Automobile body



P. ALIANO Jan. 7, i936.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w F F a a M g? G 4 a INVENTOR PETER ALIANO ATTORN EY Jan. 7, 1936 P. ALIANO 2,027,141

AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed June 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE NTOR PETER ALIANO ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 7, 1936 PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE BODY Peter Aliano, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor of forty per cent to Jennie Milea, Brooklyn, N. Y;

Application June 2'7, 1934, Serial No. 732,602,

1 Claim.

This invention relates. to new and useful improvements in an automobile body and is characterized by a body adapted to be converted from a roadster into a. touring car and back again into a roadster.

Theinvention has for an object the construction of a device as mentioned which is characterized by the provision of rumble seat covers for covering rumble seats. of the body and arranged ina manner so. thatthe seat covers may assume open positions or extended downwards intothe body of the car to expose the rumble arrangement, wherein guides are provided along the sides of the body and are associated with the rumble seat. covers in such a. manner as to guide the opening and closing of these parts.

Still further the invention also contemplates an. arrangement. wherein the tents previously mentioned are arranged around the front. seats of the body and the rumble seats of the body in such a manner that either of thetents may be. used in their open positions.

Still, further the invention contemplates a construction of tent. for a device as mentioned which is, characterized by a central area constituting the top thereof adapted to be rolled upon a roller in a compartment in said body and adapted to. be. connected. with and associated with side portions to conclude the formation of the tent.

Still further the invention, contemplates a construction whereby the edges of the materials forming the tent. may be connected with each other and the tent suitably connected upon the said body.

Still further the invention also contemplates a novel arrangement for a license plate holder for a motor vehicle.

Another one. of. the objects of this. invention is the construction of a convertible body as mentioned which is simple and. durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the. invention are. more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:--

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an automobile body constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2. is a plan view of Fig. 1 illustrated with the body in the form of a. roadster.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the body when converted into the form of a. touring car.

Fig. 5 is. a fragmentary elevational view of one of the rumble seatsv shown in a raised position. a

Fig. 6 is anelevational. view of Fig. 5..

Fig. '7 is a transverse. sectional view as though taken on,the line l-! of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing in detail one of the connections for connecting. the various parts of the tents with each other and with the body of the vehicle.

Fig. 10 is a front view of a vehicle constructed with a license. plate holder according to another embodiment of this invention.

The invention is associated with. a car body ID with front and rear bumpers Ill having front seats I l and rear seats l2. The purpose of the invention is to convert the body Hi from a roadster into a touring car and vice versa. The body is provided with a rumble seat cover ill for covering the rear seats I 2. This rumble seat cover is provided with followers l4 engaging in grooves IS on the inner sides of the body ill in such a manner that the cover may be moved from a closed position as shown in Fig. 3 to an open position as shown in Fig. 4. The front edge [3 of the cover I3 is formed with a flange adapted to coact with a complementary flange Ill upon the body.

The body I0. is built with transverse compartments l6 and I! respectively across the backs of the front seats II and the rear seats l2. Associated with these transverse compartments l6 and. I! there are end compartments "l6 and H. The transverse compartments are equipped 5'0 with covers. I8 with which they may be closed. Similarly the end compartments are equipped With covers [9 with which they may be closed. These covers are hingedly mounted upon the body and adapted to be moved from closed posi- 5 maintain their shapes.

., of the sides into the compartments.

tions as illustrated for example in Fig. 3 to open positions as illustrated for example in Fig. '7.

A roadster tent is used in the transverse compa'rtment l6 and the end compartment l6, while a touring tent is used in the transverse compartment l1 and the end compartment H.

The roadster tent comprises a central tent portion 20 which is wound upon a roller within the transverse compartment l6. This central portion is adapted to coact with end portions 2| normally housed Within the end compartments I6. The arrangement is such that the end compartments of the tent may beextended and then the central portion of the tent extended and these parts connected together along their edges as hereinafter further described in greater detail with respect to the touring car tent. The touring car tent comprises a central portion 22 which is wound upon a roller in the transverse compartment l1 and this central portion is adapted to coact with end tent portions 23 which are normally housed within the end compartments ll. These end tent portions 23 are formed with vertical ribs 24 along their lengths and with inclined ribs 24' at the rear portions thereof. The purpose of these ribs is to stiffen the sides so that they The side portions of the tent are adapted to be selectively collapsed for engagement within the compartments [1. It should be noticed that the ribs 24 are not connected with each other so that the material of the tent portion between these ribs may be folded portion upon portion with the collapsing The inclined ribs 24' allow the curved portion atthe rear ends of the sides of the tent to be collapsed within the end compartments V The edges of the central portions and the side portions of the tent are connectible with each other by the provision of connecting elements as illustrated in detail in Fig. 9. Each of these connecting elements comprisesa base element 25 attached upon one of the parts and provided with a rotative flattened head 26 engageable through an elongated slot 21 in a complementary part 28 attached upon the other element. The arrangement is such that the flattened head 26 may be engaged through the slot 21 and then rotated through 90 to constitute the latched position of the device. This particular type of fastener is generally known at the present time in the automobile trade and is used-for holding the tents on roadsters. From an inspection of Fig. 7 it should be noticed that the fastening elements are arranged upon adjacent portions of the central and side portions of the tent and in this manner are adapted to coact with each other for the proper connection of the parts. Similarly, portions of the sides of the tent are also provided with the fastening arrangement adapted to coact with the body of the vehicle as clearly illustrated in Fig. 8 so that the sides of the tent may be held down upon the body of the vehicle. A pair of clamps 30 are mounted upon the body of the vehicle at the front ends 'of the tents, in their extended positions, for

connection with these front ends to further reinforce the holding of the tents in the extended positions. To supplement the holding action of the fasteners illustrated in Fig. 9 at various door of conventional construction and for this reason further details will specification.

The automobile body is constructed with 10 extra passenger space 3 3. This extra passenger space is closed with an additional rumble seat l3 of similar construction to cover l3. The rumble seat cover it is provided with side followers M engaging in grooves l5 formed 15 upon the inner sides of the body. Within the space 34 there is provided a pair of collapsible seats 35. Each of these collapsible seats comprises a seating portion 35 hingedly mounted at 35 upon a support base portion 35. The 29 hinged portion 35 'is provided with a foldable foot 36 so that it may be supported in operative positions upon the floor of the body. The front edge of the hinged portion 35 is provided with a latching mechanism 31 by which it may be 25 latched in the operative lower position by engagement with the side walls of the body. The arrangement is such that the seat may be lowered and cannot be raised unless the latch 31 is operated to release its holding condition.

vThe rear of the body It! is formed with a shelf portion 33 upon which a trunk may be supported. The radiator of the motor vehicle is provided with a center dial cap 39. The vehicle body is provided with a license plate holder 35 comprising a support bracket 50 supporting a 'frame structure 4| in which the license plate may be inserted. This frame structure 4| has one side 4| hingedly connected at the point 42 not be given in this and held in operative position with a screw 43.

The frame 4| has the sides thereof of regular frame structure, that is, channel shape so as to engage the edges of the license plate 44. The arrangement is such that the license plate may readily be removed and replaced.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 'is:-

In combination with the body of an automobile having an open top, a compartment across the rear end of said opening and compartments along opposite sides of the opening near the rear end and partially extending to the 60 front end, and a tent in said compartments comprising a central rolled section housed in the end compartment and extendible to the front and side sections housed in said side compartments and extendible upwards and forwards to the front of said opening, and means for con necting and holding the sections of the tent, said side sections being foldable and extendible in accordion fashion. 

